Cuba verticalite

If Aurélien Villette?s subjects are inspired by buildings in ruins, these are not however always ruins left by their inhabitants. These hark back to the golden age of a bygone era and most symbolise a heritage that is doomed to disappear. Aurélien Villette roams the world in search of the spirit in each structure and site. His wanderings lead him to focus on countries that are marked (or were once marked) by a totalitarian regime. The material representation of this can be found around the buildings, as in the Vedado neighbourhood in Havana where majestic buildings had been constructed during the first part of the 20th century. Due to lack of funding, they could not be maintained after the regime was overthrown by Fidel Castro?s Cuban revolution. Through his architect?s eye, Aurélien Villette transforms them into eternal decors, magnifying the dust, cracks and fading decorations, thanks to the very wide angles of his photographs.

Photographer Aurélien Villette questions the meaning and patrimonial value of ancient abandoned buildings. While the latter represent an era in architectural history, they also bear witness to the specific history of a country, a region or a civilisation. The remains left in these sites are the chronological markers of an era. Ruins become both objects of contemplation and meditation.